L1 VISA

What You Should Know

✅ The L1 visa, or “intracompany transfer” visa, allows companies to send personnel from their offices abroad to their U.S. subsidiaries.

✅ Unlike the E2 visa, the worker does not need to have a specific nationality. Any nationality is accepted.

✅ Positions can be managerial or specialist roles.

✅ The employee must have worked continuously for the company for at least one year within the last three years. Time spent in the U.S. during business trips does not count towards this year but does not interrupt continuity.

✅ No minimum English level is required.

✅ The American company must first request approval from USCIS. 

✅ Companies can also apply for a blanket permit to manage multiple L1 visas over several years.

Visa Duration

📅 The L1 visa is valid for 3 years.

📅 It can be used for multiple entries during its validity period.

Maximum Stay and Entries

•  The maximum stay per entry is 3 years.
•  The final duration is decided by the border control officer upon arrival (recorded in the I-94).

Can It Be Extended?

•  Yes, it can be extended for up to seven years in total.
•  After reaching the maximum duration, you may consider applying for a Green Card.

Processing Time

•  The process involves two phases: first, USCIS approval (which can take up to 6 months).
•  Premium processing is available to reduce USCIS processing to around 1 month.
•  After receiving the I-129 approval, you can schedule the visa interview at the U.S. Embassy.
•  The embassy’s processing time is approximately 5 calendar days after the interview.
• Interviews may be scheduled several months in advance, depending on embassy availability.
•  In urgent situations, it is possible to request an expedited appointment.
•  Documentation preparation is complex; we recommend starting the process 7 to 8 months in advance.

Processing Fees

• There are two types of fees:

— The fee charged by USCIS (which varies depending on whether premium processing is used).

— The fee charged by the U.S. Embassy for processing the DS-160 form.

• For detailed and up-to-date fee information, contact us and we will assist you.